An evaluation of a social skills training curriculum for anger management in a chronic hospitalized population

Research evaluating the effectiveness of a new social skills training curriculum for anger management was conducted at Austin State Hospital, Austin, Texas. The study followed 38 subjects who were matched for gender and level of functioning for a period of four months. Subjects resided on an extended care unit and had histories of severe symptomatology that prevented their hospital discharge. All subjects participated in a token economy system. Demographic data, including age, diagnosis, and chlorpromazine equivalents are presented.; Subjects were divided into two groups, The treatment group attended various social skills training classes, including anger management class. The control group also attended various social skills training classes, but did not attend anger management class. Analyses revealed no significant differences between groups for their rates of hostile/belligerent behaviors during the month prior to inception of treatment. Effectiveness of anger management classes, as measured by generalization of learned behaviors to the ward, was evaluated by a team of trained observers (inter-rater reliability = 0.89) using the Time Sample Behavioral Checklist (Paul, 1987). In addition, rates of restraint/seclusion were gathered from hospital medical records.; Using a 2 x 2 ANOVA and repeated measures MANOVAs, rates of hostile/belligerent behaviors as well as total appropriate and total inappropriate behaviors and restraint/seclusions were analyzed. Correlations of restraint/seclusions over various time intervals were compared using Pearson product moment correlations.; Statistically significant differences were observed in correlations of number of hours in restraint/seclusion over two time intervals when comparing treatment and control groups. The group mean for hostile/belligerent behaviors in the treatment group did not differ significantly from that in the control group over four months.; Since an anger management curriculum for hospitalized populations based on social skills training principles has not been evaluated previously, this particular curriculum presented an important opportunity to assess the efficacy of this new approach. Results suggest that attendance at the anger management class in question was not effective at changing patient behaviors on the ward.